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Candidating Weekend: June 13-14
(posted 5.29.09)
Gary and Mary Westra, and two of their children (Ben and Katy) will be with us on the weekend of June 13-14. On Saturday, June 13 at 6:30pm in the Family Room, we will have an informal gathering to give you the opportunity to meet the Westras personally. Then on Sunday morning, June 14, Gary will be preaching in both morning worship services. A special church business meeting will be held immediately following the second service (at 12:30pm) to act on the Leadership Council's recommendation that we call Gary to be the next Senior Pastor of NSCBC. We trust that you will make every effort to be with us on this important weekend and that you are seeking the Lord's wisdom and guidance even now. He is faithful indeed!
During the first week of June you will receive a packet of information regarding the Westras. We hope this information will better acquaint you with Gary and his family before they arrive for the candidating weekend. On Sunday, June 7 the Pastoral Search Committee (PSC) will intentionally make ourselves available in the church foyer following worship and during fellowship time, so please feel free to seek us out. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact any member of the PSC. We would be pleased to meet with you!
Introducing Our Candidate for Senior Pastor!
(posted 5.19.09)
It is with great joy that the Pastoral Search Committee, the Elders and the Leadership Council bring to you our wholehearted and unanimous recommendation that Dr. Gary Westra be called to be the next senior pastor of North Shore Community Baptist Church!
For a brief introduction of Gary and his wife, Mary, please click here. We also look forward to introducing him to you in person on the weekend of June 12-14 when he comes for an official candidating visit. Gary will be preaching in both Sunday morning services on June 14 and then a special business meeting will be held following the second service. Please mark this date on your calendar and stay tuned for more information coming soon!
We are deeply humbled and invite you to join us in a spirit of thanksgiving to our God who is ever-faithful. Indeed He has done immeasurably more than all we have asked or imagined (Ephesians 3:20) and we stand in awe of His goodness! Please join us in praying that the spirit of unity and single-mindedness that He has granted to the Search Committee, Elders and Leadership Council, would be extended to our congregation as a whole, that we might move together into this new season as a unified body with eyes fixed upon our Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Consecrate Yourselves...
(posted 4.16.09)
As the Book of Joshua begins, God's people are camped out on the east side of the Jordan river, waiting to cross over after their 40-year long journey to the promised land. At this very climactic and pivotal moment in the Israelites' history, Joshua speaks these powerful words: "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you" (Joshua 3:5).
For many months, our Pastoral Search Committee, as well as many others at NSCBC, have had an increasing sense that the Lord is indeed at work in our midst and that there are even more amazing things to come in the life of our church. As we have progressed through this process, the Lord has continued to remind us of His past faithfulness, convince us of His presence with us now and assure us of His future provision. In the midst of the many changes we are experiencing as a church, we firmly believe that God is actively at work to shape and prepare us for all that He desires to accomplish in and through us in the months and years to come.
We have recently narrowed our search to two candidates and are eagerly pressing forward to get to know them better and allow them to know more about our church. It is our hope that we are nearing the end of the Selection Phase and would soon be able to bring a candidate before the congregation, so that you can get to know him as well. You can be assured that we will continue to keep you updated in this process.There is certainly a heightened sense of excitement and eager anticipation at this point, yet our confidence itself does not come from candidates or processes. Our hope is in the Lord, who continues to impress upon us the reality of His steadfast presence with His people. We truly believe that the Lord is doing - and will do - amazing things among us!
In light of this truth, we once again consecrate ourselves to the Lord. We invite each of you to fully enter into this season of prayer and active waiting upon the Lord. Surely we covet your prayers for our committee as these are critical times and much wisdom is needed. We also ask you to pray for the Colemans as they prepare to move on from NSCBC, and for our new pastor as the Lord prepares to bring him to us. But perhaps most of all, we invite you to intercede on behalf of our church, that as one body we may be truly set apart (consecrated) to the Lord for His good purposes. Brothers and sisters at NSCBC, consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you!
Top Candidates Identified
(posted 3.13.09)
We are pleased to let you know that we have recently identified four candidates who we believe the Lord would have us seriously consider for our next senior pastor. We have been in contact with these top candidates to schedule phone interviews with them over the next couple of weeks. In addition, we will be contacting their references to learn more about them. We have notified all other candidates to inform them that we would not be considering them further and thanking them for their investment in our search process.
This is an exciting time as we anticipate getting to know these candidates more personally. While we recognize the possibility that none of the four candidates may end up being the right fit for NSCBC, we are eager to move forward with them in the process. The Lord has given us a great sense of unity and consensus and we are humbly grateful for His provision and leading to this point. We are confident that He will continue to lead us and indeed is already at work in the life of our next senior pastor. We encourage you to continue upholding our church and these candidates in your prayers.
Narrowing the Candidate Pool
(posted 2.7.09)
We are currently in the process of further narrowing our candidate pool as we seek to identify top candidates. We are reviewing extensive questionnaires submitted by candidates and are following up with each of them. This is a very crucial time in the search process and we continue to ask for your support through prayer.
The Collection and Selection Phases
(posted 1.11.09)
To date we have received over 60 resumes from individuals interested in the position. We have completed our first round of screening and have narrowed the field to approximately 17 candidates. However, we are still receiving resumes! If you know of a potential candidate, please encourage them to send their resume, brief philosopy of ministry statement and doctrinal statement to pastorsearch@nscbc.org. You may also direct them to the "Candidate Information" section of this website, where we will be posting further information about our church in the days to come.
We are currently following up with our top candidates, asking them to complete a more specific questionnaire which will allow us to have a better sense of whether they align with of our core values and priorities as a church. This is also another opportunity to simply "get to know" the candidates better.
As we begin to shift from the Collection Phase to the Selection Phase (see below), we recognize that this is a long and very important part of the process. We covet your ongoing prayers as we continue to receive resumes and seek discernment regarding potential candidates. Thank you for your patience and support throughout this search process!
Letter to the Church
(posted 1.11.09)
A letter was sent out to the entire church from the Pastoral Search Committee and the Leadership Council regarding a resolution on which the church will have the opportunity to vote at the upcoming Annual Meeting (Saturday, January 24). Click here to read the letter.
PSC Presentation at All-Church Meeting
(posted 12.16.08)
Many thanks to all those who attended the recent church meetings with the Pastoral Search Committee. We are so grateful for your feedback and input! If you were unable to attend these meetings, click here to see the power point presentation that was given. Please remember that we are continuing to accept candidate resumes. You may direct any potential candidates to the "Candidate Information" section of this website.
All-Church Informational Meeting
(posted 12.4.08)
All are invited to attend an informational meeting with the Pastoral Search Committee on Sunday, December 7 at 6:00pm at the church. If you cannot attend this meeting, an additional meeting will be offered on Wednesday, December 10 at 7:00pm. Prior to attending the meeting, please read this letter from the Pastoral Search Committee.
The Collection Phase Continues
(posted 11.24.08)
In recent weeks, we have posted the senior pastor position on a number of websites and are also networking directly to solicit recommendations. We have already received over fifty resumes and are beginning the initial stages of screening. If you know someone who would be a potential candidate, please encourage them to visit the "Candidate Information" section of our website and submit a resume according to the instructions provided.
We are also preparing a letter to be sent out to the entire church inviting you to a conversation meeting with the Pastoral Search Committee. This meeting will provide an opportunity for the PSC to further update you on our progress and invite you to consider a specific proposal as we move forward in this time of transition. Stay tuned!
We are so grateful for your ongoing support and prayers!
Let Us Seek The Lord!
(posted 10.23.08)
The Pastoral Search Committee invites the entire congregation to join us for a time of worship and prayer as we continue to seek God's leading in the search for our new pastor. We will gather at 6:00pm on Sunday, November 2 at the church. Please prayerfully consider the importance of joining us on this special occasion. "Those who seek the LORD lack no good thing" (Psalm 34:10).
Search Process Update
(posted 9.30.08)
The following announcement was made during both morning worship services on Sunday, September 28 by Mark Fitzgerald, members of the Search Committee.
Greetings NSCBC Members and Attenders!
It has been 6 months since being commissioned to serve as your "Pastoral Search Committee" (PSC). The road has been long, and yet we have a healthy stretch of road yet ahead. To date, we have conducted 17 core-group meetings, dozens of sub-committee meetings, Survey Sunday and a series of Home Group Meetings. We have planned 4 purposeful phases in this search process - each encompassing a
timeframe of 4 weeks to 4 months...so patience is a requirement!
These four phases in title/purpose are:
-
(Phase 1) The Organizational Phase: A phase that lasted about 6-7 weeks, as we got to know each other, created the basis of how we would approach the task, organized our process, organized our Phase 1 and 2 action plan, and formalized schedules and documentation management.
-
(Phase 2) The Analytical Phase: A phase that lasted approximately 4 months - in which we gathered information from all possible sources. This phase involved "getting to know" our church body, our church leadership, elders, deacons, staff and volunteers. In addition, it was a time in which we examined our core-values and mission. All this was in a focused effort to understand "who" we are, what is of core
importance to our current successes, and what are the greatest needs and desires as we look to move forward together as a church. -
(Phase 3) The Collection Phase: This phase includes the finalization of our extensive church "profile" and the requirements that we will publish to begin formally prospecting for potential candidates. The phase is expected to last anywhere from 8-12 weeks.
A first-pass evaluation of candidates will be made to assure that they meet a set of core requirements. -
(Phase 4) The Selection Phase: This phase again is expected to take several weeks or months as we narrow down the pool of initial candidates, follow up on references, conduct interviews, and begin scheduling visits both in candidates current churches and then here at NSCBC. This is the phase in which the church body will get to meet and greet potential candidates and hear them speak. The conclusion of this phase is intended to include a formal recommendation from the PSC to the church to hire a specific candidate. Following the PSC recommendation to the church in Phase 4, the church will conduct a meeting to vote on the recommendation.
Having created a 50+ page detailed church profile and defining a set of baseline qualifications for a new pastor, we are now ready to enter Phase 3! Please remain patient with us - as we believe that God will reveal His candidate for NSCBC in His timing. The job posting will be available on our own website, on the Ministry Placement Network and on several other ministry search related websites throughout the country. A list of these websites will be made available shortly.
We have been posting information about the search process, and certain milestones along the way, on our website. We will continue to keep you involved and informed as best we can through the website, the church bulletin, the monthly Shoreline, and periodic announcements.
God is good, and He has great plans for NSCBC and for our new pastor! The Pastoral Search Committee asks that you continue to pray - that God will LEAD us as a committee and as a church body throughout this process.
Thank you and God Bless!
Timeline
(posted 8.9.08)
We have also posted a new link to the timeline of our search process. We are currently in the latter portion of Stage 2 (The Information Stage). It has been our goal to begin Stage 3 (The Collection Stage) by the end of September and we are optimistic that we will be able to reach that goal. Thank you for your ongoing prayers!
Results Now Posted
(posted 8.9.08)
We have posted results and summaries from both the Pastoral Search Survey and the recent home meetings. We appreciated hearing the feedback of our congregation and we trust you will also enjoy reading through these materials.
Church Profile
(posted 7.16.08)
Many thanks to those who completed the NSCBC Pastoral Search Survey and participated in the recent home meetings. Your input is so valuable to us! We are currently in the process of tabulating survey data and compiling notes from the home meetings. This information will be helpful as we compose a profile of our church. We look forward to sharing a summary of the results with you in the near future.
The Survey is Here!
(posted 5.28.08)
The Pastoral Search Committee is eager to receive feedback from the congregation. All members and regular attendees are encouraged to complete the NSCBC Pastoral Search Survey. There are three ways that this can be done:
- Attend the special worship service on June 8 (“Survey Sunday”) where all attendees will have the opportunity to complete the survey.
- Complete the survey online using a link which will be provided on "Pastoral Search" page of our website.
- Complete a downloadable version of the survey (also available on our webpage). The survey may be printed, completed and submitted to the Church Office.
Home Meetings
In addition to the survey, we will be providing further opportunity for the congregation to reflect and comment on our life at NSCBC and share our hopes and dreams for the future of our church. To this end, we are scheduling several home meetings which will allow for a more intimate, informal venue for sharing. You will be able to sign up at the church for one of these home meetings beginning on June 8 (“Survey Sunday”).
Survey Sunday!
(posted 5.15.08)
On June 8, 2008 we will hold a special worship service to reflect on God’s faithfulness in the past, present and future of our church and to complete a survey prepared by the Pastoral Search Committee.
After much thought, we decided to offer this survey during our time together on a Sunday morning in order to receive the feedback of the largest possible number of people in the church. The survey will also be available online for those who will not be present on June 8 or who simply prefer to complete the survey electronically. However, we encourage everyone to be present with us on the morning of June 8 because we will be celebrating God’s faithfulness to us as a church through a very special time of corporate worship.
We have decided to do this survey on a Sunday morning because each person’s thoughts and feedback are so essential to the process of discerning the Lord’s leading as we seek a new pastor. We hope you will make every effort to be present at one of the two worship services on June 8 (8:15am and 11am) and we thank you in advance for your participation. We look forward to this time together!
Commissioning Prayer
(posted 4.9.08)
There will be a prayer of commissioning offered on behalf of the PSC during the Sunday morning services on April 13, 2008. This will be a special time of commitment as the congregation has an opportunity to uplift the PSC in prayer.
Communication
(posted 4.8.08)
The PSC desires to be faithful in communicating regularly with the congregation about the search process. To this end, we have decided to use the NSCBC website as our primary source for posting information. We also plan to communicate via Sunday morning announcements, as well as monthly updates in the Sunday bulletin and The Shoreline.
Information Gathering
(posted 4.8.08)
The PSC recently purchased a kit from Ministry Placement Network which we are considering as an information gathering tool. The kit contains materials that would assist us in conducting a churchwide survey and tabulating data about our church. All NSCBC attenders will be invited to participate in this survey within the coming weeks...so stay tuned for more information!